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Wednesday, April 11, 2012

In this podcast, I discussed how
your knowledge of insects will benefit your fly fishing.

Fish eat bugs because the bugs often come to them in the current, they don’t
have to go after them. Just as you can fill up on a bowl of popcorn, a fish can
fill up on tiny insects.

Insects

Small are small and their size is
limited by their external skeleton. The larger it gets, the heavier it gets and
they would not be able to support that weight.

May occur in high population
densities

Live mostly in fresh water,
Crustaceans are their saline counterpart

Compost a major component of fish
diets and are easy prey items

Fish tend to sip smaller ones,
gulp larger ones

Composed of a complex carbohydrate
classified as a protein called chitin

Eating insects is metabolically
efficient = the net gain of calories is greater than the amount of calories
lost in the process of pursuing, chasing, etc

In ecology terms, insects are
considered under the term r-selection which means they tend to be:

Small size

Reach sexual maturity fast

Have a short gestation time

Produce high quantity of offspring
which are generally left to fend for themselves

The theory being that the more
offspring produced = greater chance some of those will survive to pass on their
genetic information.

Anatomy

Insects have bilateral symmetry
which means the left and right sides are equal in shape and size

Their bodies are composed of:

Head

Thorax

Abdomen.

Head

Mouthparts

Sensory organs

Eyes for sight- some eyes form
images, some don’t.

Brain.

Thorax

Wings (‘ptera’) and insects are
only Invertebrates that fly

Legs

Associated musculature for
locomotion

Some breathing pits (spiracles) on
terrestrial insects.

Abdomen

Contains organs for:

Digestion

Defecation

Respiration

Terrestrial insects have tiny pits
or spiracles that open to the outside. Gas exchange inside to prevent desiccation

Some aquatic insects have filament
like exterior lungs, (nymphs tend to hold in turbulent water which has more
oxygen)

Defense – stinger in bees is
modified reproductive organ

Tails

Reproduction –ovipositors in some
shaped based on where/how lay eggs.

Different Types of Life Cycles

Some live for a portion of their
life in water and emerge from the water (by swimming or crawling out) for a
terrestrial adulthood, returning to the water to mate and lay their eggs,
making them an easy meal for fish

Fish depend on these emergences or
“hatches” for gorging themselves on food to pack on weight

The emerging stage is quite vulnerable
as trying to break through the water’s surface tension and get to safety while
exiting their skin. This awkward stage makes them an easy target and a favorite
food item for fish. Some insects don’t fully develop and die before this
molting stage, they are known as cripples. Some insects can’t break out of the
water and drown, these are known as stillborns

Being able to identify different
stages being consumed by fish and matching that stage with your fly is key to
success.

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About Me

I am the
fly fishing consultant and yes, that is my real last name.
I provide expert knowledge and advice to fly fisherman in Virginia,
Maryland, Washington D.C. and beyond. Think of me as
a personal trainer, coach, or tutor for the angler. I specialize in
urban and suburban fly fishing for warm water species like striped bass,
carp, catfish, sunfish, gar, snakeheads, largemouth and smallmouth
bass. Through my instruction you will become a more competent and self
sufficient angler.

My background in consulting, education, fly fishing, and science gives me a unique
approach to fly fishing education and instruction. You will gain a
whole new perspective on fly fishing that you will not gain from a
local fly shop, magazine, or TV show. Maybe you have a general question about fly fishing, contact me and
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